Bottom lift container



July 11 1933- G. c. WOODRUFF BOTTOM LIFT CONTAINER Filed Aug. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l `Iuly 1l, 1933.

G. c. WOODRUFF BOTTOM LIFTl CONTAINER' Filled Aug. 25. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Graham 6'. Woodruff Patented July 11, 1933 l GRAHAM C. WOODRUFF, OF .BRONXVILLE NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO 'llll L. CHL.h

rarenr-orriee CORPORATIONA CORPORATION DELAWARE BOTTOM LIFT CONTAINER Application filed August 25, 1932. Serial No. 630,475.

This invention relates to containers for container cars and to means vfor lifting the same for transfer to and from the car. More particularly the invention relates 'to containers of the crane-lift type and to improved lifting means for use in connection therewith.

Containers of this type are generally made of sheet metal and provided at the top, generally at the corners, with links or like engaging members for connection with the crane lift chains or tackle. Such containers are, therefore, lifted from the top and, in order that the lifting strains may be properly distributed, and buckling of or other damage to the container prevented, it is necessary not only to strongly brace the container but to use comparatively heavy material in its construction, so that such contain' ers are of much greater strength and weight than necessary for them to otherwise be.

The main object of the present invention is to provide novel and l improved lifting means for the container, whereby the container may be lifted from the bottom instead of from the top, thus enabling the weight of the container and its load to be sustained without throwing undue strain upon any part of the container, and thereby enabling a container for any given purpose ofv lighter weight and less cost to be produced. y

A further object ofthe invention is to provide ai simple, reliable and efficient construction of lifting means of the character and for 'the `purpose specified.

rPhe invention consists of the features'of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a top plan view of a container embodying my invention.

F ig. 2 isan end elevation of the same.

3 is a. vertical section through'one endof the container showing the application of one of the lifting chains.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the container on an enlarged scale showing the application of one of the lifting chains.

lor channeled retainers 9, preferably-dared at F ig. 5 isa view showing more particularly the constrnctionof the spreader. i 1 f F ig. 6 is a top plan view of the container and spreader in place.' l

Referring now more particularly tothe .'-f drawings, l designates a container of that type adapted for use on container cars and which, in practice, may be made of any suitable size and of rectangular orioblong rectangular' form, a container of oblong rectangular form being shown in the present instance. The container is shownr as having side walls 2, cnd walls 3, a top wall i and a bottom wall 5. The walls 2, 3 and d and the wall 5 also, if desired, may be made of sheet metal of suitable gage or thickness. The con tainer' may be provided in practice with any suitable type of door or other closure means and may carry upon certain of its walls, asv the walls 2, guiding vand retaining shoes G i' for guiding the container into and out of a container car and holding it therein in spaced relation to adjacent containers.

Generally a container of this character is provided upon itstop wall, in the region of ts corners, with stay plates carrying links or like engaging members for connection of theV lifting chains or tackle of the crane therewith. In the present vinstance the use of such top links or engaging members is dispensed with, but the container top is provided in lieu thereof with corner stays havingl outwardly projecting portions 8 extending laterally beyond the walls and provided with grooved their lower ends, as lindicated at 10. These retainers 9 are adapted for the reception and retention in position of the four lifting chains 1l commonly employed which are united atv their upper ends by a ring or link or other 9 like element 12, whereby the lifting chains or tackle-may be connected with the crane hoist Then chains when in engagement with the container depend along the walls 3 thereof and are provided at their lower free ends with engaging hooks A13 for connection with engag-y ing links, rods or members 14 on thebase or bottom of the container, whereby the container and itsl load may be vsupported l, and lifted from its bottom instead of bein@ chain engaging ends of the hooks to lie par- 6.09 wise beheld securely by the retainers 9 from ing supported and lifted from its top, in the customary way, thereby relieving the top of the container and adjacent portions of the walls from the weight of tl c load and properly distributing the load weight and lifting strains so as to avoid any liability of buckling or other damage to the container during the lifting action. By this means the walls of the container may be made of lighter metal, and the use of wall braces wholly or largely dispensed with, enabling a container of lighter weight for any given'purpose to be made at less cost and having other resulting advantages. Y v

The engaging members 14 are preferably arranged on the inside of the container walls 3 below the bottom wall 5, which is elevated toa desired degree, thus adapting the members 14 to be placed directly beneath the bottom wall and within the bottom portion off-the .container where they will be securely housedand protected from injury. To permit of the engagement of the hooked ends of the grappling hooks 13 with the links or engaging members'. 14 the walls 3 are provided in. alinement with said engaging members 14 with openings 15 of a size to allow of the ready and convenient insertion and withdrawal :of the4 hooks. In. order to adapt the allel and snugly in contact with the walls 3 when the hooked ends of the hooks are in engagement with the engaging members 14, the body. portions of the grappling hooks are preferably made L-shaped, so that their hooked ends and chain engaging arms lie substantially at right angles to each other: This construction adapts the hooked arms of the grapplinghooks to be engaged with the inner .surfaces of the engaging members 14 andto be maintained in engagement there with as long as thechains 1.1 are in operative position and taut, while, at the same time, admitting of the ready and quick release of the hooks and chains by simply slacking the chains to a 'degree to adapt the relatively heavy or weighted chain engaging arms of the hooks to. drop by gravity down to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 3i, in which operationthe hooked ends of the hook` will swing` upwardly and outwardly on the engaging members 14 to a released position. This simple and effective construction and arrangement of the -engaging hooks l13 and members 14 not only ensures the proper housing of the members 14 from liability of injury, but also ensures the secure retention of the hooks in engagement with the members 14 as long as the chains yare taut, as the chains will other.

any possibility of displacement duringraisi ing,.loweringand transfer movements of the container.

It will be understood. ofcourse. that the retainers 9 and engaging members 14 may, 1f-

Y other.

desirechbe placedupon the same walls as the guide shoes 6, but are preferably placed upon the container walls at right angles to the walls bearing the guide shoes, for greater convenience in applying and removing the chains where the shoes 6 are employed to more or less narrowly space the containers from each In the present instance the retainers 9 and engaging members 14 are placed upon the fend walls of an .oblongrectangular` container which may be designed'for use, for example, in a drop side container car, so that when the drop sides are down the chains may be applied or removed with great ease and facility. The bottom-lift attachments may, however, be applied upon square containers orcon-tainers of other desired Vforms and upon ,the same walls as the guide shoesor other walls as re-. quired to suit exigencies of service.

lnorder to enable theup-per part of the container to be madev of lightweight, and to relieve the same from cushioning strains, a spreader' 1G, which iswsuitablyl supported, preferably fromthe link l12, is. provided to engage the chains 11 at la suitable levelabove the container top 4 to hold the cha-ins spread for sucha distance above the top,4 .of the container asfto maintain the chainsstraight and vertical from thelifting points upto `the spreader point, from which spreader points the chains may converge to :thelink 12. By this means the lifting pull is main, tained in straight linesy to a point sufficiently above the container to 'prevent any converging pressures from thecorners 7` toward the center line of the container which would tend to crush and cause collapse ofthecontainer at its top. Hence the container may be made of comparatively light material throughout without liability` of injuryI from lifting strains. y n

' An important advantage of this invention, in addition to those stated, isthat thebottom-lift avoids thenecessity. of employing what is knownas a c ar rider, that is` a man to ride on the crane' hook and stand onthe top of the containers to engage the .lifting chains'with the links of a ,container as usually constructed.

While the construction disclosed y is. preferred, it will, of course, be understood that changesk in the form, proportions, details of construction and 'arrangements of parts may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of thel in vention.

lVhat I claim is f 1. In a lift-type container, a container, attachable and detachable lifting means for the container -arrangedrexternally ofthe container and comprising lifting members eX- tending from a pointvabove the container to a point in proximity to the bottomv of the container and having a detachable hook connec- 2. In a lift-type container, a container,

- lifting gear for the container arranged e);-

ternally of and attachable to and detachable from the container, means providing a detachable lift connection between the lower.

end of the lifting gear and the lower end of the container, means at the upper end of the lifting gear above the container for connection with a lifting device, and retainers at the top of the container for removably retaining the upper portion of the lifting means in connection therewith, said lifting` means being movable laterally into and out of engagement with the retainers.

3. In lifting and transporting means for containers of container cars, a container', a

lifting and 'transporting means arranged eX- ternally of the container and embodying members having a detachable lifting connection with the container' at the bottom of said container, and retaining elements at the the top of the container with whiclrsaid members are engageable and from which they are disengageable by relative lateral movements.

4. In a lifting and transporting means for containers of container cars, a container, a container lifting device for engagement with a lifting crane arranged externally of and comprising means attachable to and detachable fro-m the Container, said lifting device having means at its upper and lower ends for respective coupling engagement with a crane and the bottom of the container, and retaining elements on the upper portion `of the container for engagement with the lifting device between such ends by lateral movement of the members into or out of connection with said elements. 1

5. In lifting and transporting means for lift-type containers of the character described, a. container, slotted retaining` members at or near the top of the container, keeper members at or near the botto-m of the container, and a lifting device arranged eX- ternally of and attachable to and detachable from the container and comprising linear flexible members engageable intermediate their ends by relative lateral movements with said slotted retaining members and provided at their lower ends with hooks for detachable engagement with said engaging means on theco-ntainer, and means at the upper ends of the flexible members for connecting the same with a crane or the like.

G. In lifting and transporting means for lift-type containers of the character described, a container having U-shaped retainers at or near itstop and keepers at or near its bottom, a lifting device arranged eXterl. nally of and attachable to and detachable from the container and comprising linear flexible members engageable intermediate their ends by lateral movement Withthe U- shaped retainers and having engaging hooks at' their .lower ends to detachably engage the keepers, means at the upper ends of said fleXible members for suspending the lifting device from `a crane or the like, and means for holding the flexible members spread above Y the containers to maintain the same and the lifting strains in straight lines.

7. In lifting and transportingmeans for lift-type containers of the character dei scribed, a container having channeled retainers at or near its topand keepers at or near its bottom, and a lifting device attachable to and detachable from the container and comprising linear flevible members engageable intermediate their ends with the retainers and having hooks at their lower ends to detachably en..` ge the keepers, and means at the upper ends of said flexible members for suspending the lifting device from a crane or the like.

8. In lifting and transporting means for crane lift containers, a container having engaging members thereon at or near-its bottom and forked retaining members thereon at or near its top, and a lifting device for suspending said container from a crane attachable to and detachable from the container' and comprising linear flexible members adapted to be kflisposed vertically at opposite sides of the container and engageable with and disengageable from said retaining members by movements laterally with relation to the container, a coupling connecting said elements at their upper ends, and engaging members at the lower ends of said elements for detachable engagement with the engaging members on l the container.

9. In lifting and transporting means for crane lift containers, a container having engaging members thereon at or near its bottom and forked retaining members thereon at or near its top, and a lifting` device for suspending said container from a crane'attachable to and detachable from the container and v comprising chains adapted to bel disposed vertically at opposite sides of the container and loosely and detach ably engaged between their c upper and lower ends with said retaining members, a coupling connecting said elements at their upper ends', and engaging members at the lower ends of said elements for detachable engagement with the engaging members on the container. u I

10. In lifting and transporting means for crane lift containers, a Vcontainer having engagingmembers Lthereon at yor near its bottomandforked retaining members thereon at. or near its top, said engaging and forked retaining members being arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the container and adJacent to the corners thereof, and a lifting device fOixsuspending said container from a crane attachable to and detachable from the container and comprisinglinear i'iexible members adapted to be extended downwardly at oppo-v site sides of the container from a level above the. ytop of the container to a level in the region of. thel bottom of the container and removably engaged lbetween their upper and low il ends with said forked retaining meinbeis, coupling connecting said lifting device at their-upper ends, and engaging members at kthe lower ends of said elements for detachable engagement with theV engaging members on the container.

ll. In lifting and transporting means for crane lift containers, a container. having keepers thereon at or near its bottom and channeled retainers thereon at or near its top, said keepers and retainers being arranged at' opposite sides of and in the region of the corners of tbe retainer, and aflifting device for suspending said container from crane comprising two pairs of lifting members adapted to be disposed vertically at said sides of the container and engaged with the channeled retainers thereon, a coupling connecting said lifting members at their upper ends and adapted for suspending the lifting device from a crane, and hooks at thelower ends of the-lifting members to engage said keepers.

l2. In lifting and transporting means for crane lift containers, a container having keepers thereon ait-or near its bottom and channeled retainers thereon at orneai' its top, said keepers and retainers being arranged at opposite sides of and in the 'on of the corners of the retainer, and a lifting device for suspending said container from a crane compris-Y ing tivo pairs oflifting chains adapted to be disposed vertically at said sides ofthe container and engaged .with the channeled ie-` tainers thereon, a coupling connect-ing the chains at their iippe ends and adapted for suspending the lifting device from a crane,

and hooks at the lower ends of the chains to engage said keepers.

13. InV a lift type container, a rectangular sheet metal container, and lifting means for the container comprising engaging members at tlie'botfom of the container in the region of the corners thereof, open `sided retaining members at the -top of the container in the region of the. corners thereof, and a lifting device attachable andvdetachable from the container and comprising linear flexible members extending downwardly alongside the container and laterally movable into and out of engagementwithsaid retaining members and provided at their lower yendswith engage ing elements forv detachable engagementwith said engaging'inembers at the-bottom of the container, and means at the upperends of said iiexible members for suspending the lifting device from a crane or the like.

lil. ln a lift type container, a rectangular sheet metal container, and lifting-,means for the container comprising engaging members at opposite sides of the bottom of the container in the region of the corners thereof, v

open 'sided retaining membersat the top of the container in the region of the corners thereof, and a lifting devceattachable and detachable from the container andcoinprising linear flexible members extending downivardl)7 alongside the container-and .movable laterally into and out of'engagement with said open retaining members and provided at their lower ends with engagingelements i engaging said engaging members at the bottoni of the container, and means at the upper ends of said flexible members for suspending the lifting device from a crane or the like.

l5. lu a lift type container, a sheet metal loosely engaging said retaining members and 1 provided at their loweriends ivitlrengaging elements engaging said engaging'inembers at the bottoni of the container, means atthe upper ends of saidflexible members for suspending the lifting'device from a crane or 1die like, and a spreader engaging said flexible members between said `means and said retaining members andxholding said flexible members spread for aidistance above the top of the container to maintain the `lifting strains in straight lines -and to relieve the upper portion of. the container from ciushing pressure.

16. In; lifting and supporting means for crane lift contaiuers,'a container, keepers on the container adjacent to the bottom thereof, retainers on the container in the region'of the top thereof, a lifting device'gembodying a draft element adapted to be disposed above the top of the container and flexible lifting elements deprniding therefrom and adapted to depend alongside the containerrand to de# tachalily engage the retainers,.nieans for connecting said lifting elements at theirlower ends rwith the keepers at the lower'portion of the container, and means for .engaging and holding the lifting elements spread adjacent to and fora dist-ance above the 4retainers and the top of the container,tomaintain the lifting strains in straight lines.v

vSG

17. In a lift-type container, a container having inset engaging members in the region of its bottom adjacent to and lying Within the plane of opposed vertical Walls thereof, and attachable and detachable liftingmeans for the container Comprising lifting elements adapted to be extended downwardly on the outside oi said Walls of the Container from above the Container to a point at or near the bottom of the container and having grappling hooks with sha-nk portions and hook portions oifset at substantially right angles to each other Jfor quick detachable and pivotal eonnection with said inset engaging members of said container.

1S. In a lift-type container, a Container having inset engaging members in the region of its bottom adjacent to and lying within the plane of opposed vertical Walls thereof, retainers on said Walls of the container at or near the top of the container, and attachable and detachable lifting means for the Container Comprising' lifting elements engageable and disengageable by lateral movements with and from the retainers and extended downwardly on the outside of said Walls of the container from above the container to a point at or near the bottom of the Container and having means for detachable engagement With said inset engaging; members of said container.

19. In a lift-type container, a container having opposed vertical Walls provided with openings therein in the region of its-bottom, keepers on the Container adjacent to'and lying on the inner sides of said Walls in alinement with said openings, 'forked retainers on said walls of the container at or. near thetop of the Container', and attachableand detachable lifting means for the containerl comprising lifting elements adapted to be detaohably engaged with the retainers and extended downwardly on the outside of said Walls of the container from above the container to a point at ornear the bottom ofthe Container and having grappling hooks formed with shank and hook portions offset substantially at right angles with each other for quick detachable and pivotal Connection with said inset engagf inn' members of said container'.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

GRAHAM C. WOODRUFF. 

